My hives are in full sun, wrapped with black "weed block" material and tar paper. All the seams are pretty tight. I have low/bottom and high/top entrances/holes. I think good ventilation, albeit not really "open".

However,...how hot is it getting inside my hives on days like this? The outside is very warm to the hand.

I’ve been to Plimoth Plantation and seen The Rock many years ago. Cool place, but no bees.

Do I smell cooked bees? Probably not, but the Sun can impart quite a few watts of power during the day. However there is a LOT of mass in a bee hive to heat (honey, wax, wood) and that should prevent the temps from cooking the bees for now. The problem is at night :( The Moon doesn't add any heating watts, the tar paper is not a good insulator, and it's the coldest time of the day. But when all is said and done, bee keepers have been doing it that way for decades. Just make sure they don't get too light on the stores.

"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember,involve me and I'll understand" Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." John F. KennedyFranklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

TJC1, having lived in metro Boston I know you can get some warm spells in the winter and the ocean moderates your temps a bit more than NH and VT. There are options if you are you running low on stores. As Finski says, you really shouldn’t be light so early in the winter. However things don’t always go as planned.

I don’t generally open feed and Finski is right you’re not going to get a lot of food into a hive in cool conditions (mid 50s) because most of the bees are going to be staying inside the hive. If you’re really running low, you can add hard candy as Robo shows on his website or maybe try to dry sugar on a news paper (I’ve never tried it). Just don’t feed anything really runny this time of year!

Insulation will keep the hive warmer and hence the bees won’t need as much food to overwinter so that is an option too.

"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember,involve me and I'll understand" Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." John F. KennedyFranklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

TJC1, having lived in metro Boston I know you can get some warm spells in the winter and the ocean moderates your temps a bit more than NH and VT. There are options if you are you running low on stores. As Finski says, you really shouldn’t be light so early in the winter. However things don’t always go as planned.

I don’t generally open feed and Finski is right you’re not going to get a lot of food into a hive in cool conditions (mid 50s) because most of the bees are going to be staying inside the hive. If you’re really running low, you can add hard candy as Robo shows on his website or maybe try to dry sugar on a news paper (I’ve never tried it). Just don’t feed anything really runny this time of year!

Insulation will keep the hive warmer and hence the bees won’t need as much food to overwinter so that is an option too.

"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember,involve me and I'll understand" Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." John F. KennedyFranklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

I originally joined the Barnstable association because I teach on the Cape and was aiming to keep bees at school (still working on that). At the time, I couldn't find much on the Plymouth association - seemed it was defunct from what I found, but I since know that it is quite lively - I should check in with them!

I originally joined the Barnstable association because I teach on the Cape and was aiming to keep bees at school (still working on that). At the time, I couldn't find much on the Plymouth association - seemed it was defunct from what I found, but I since know that it is quite lively - I should check in with them!

TJ

The next meeting of Plymouth County Beekeepers' Association is Wednesday, November 28th, at 7 pm Pembroke Center School which is obviously on Center Street. If you drive into the Police Departments driveway and follow it behind the old school you'll see where we park in the lower parking lot out behind the school.

BEE HAPPY Jim 134 :)

« Last Edit: November 23, 2012, 08:28:25 PM by Jim 134 »

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"Tell me and I'll forget,show me and I may remember,involve me and I'll understand" Chinese Proverb

"The farmer is the only man in our economy who buys everything at retail, sells everything at wholesale, and pays the freight both ways." John F. KennedyFranklin County Beekeepers Association MA. http://www.franklinmabeekeepers.org/

My wrapping is a little bit beyond just the TP (over thunk). I use: a trapped airspace, plastic window shutters along the sides and back; a weed block material (a fuzzy, woven erosion fence)wrap around for moisture permiability; a top shallow super filled with shaved cedar chips (keeps the moths at bay ;)). The TP is only around the top super as a rainwater shed. I have baffles around the entrances similar to those I think I saw on your site last year, and copied (in theory).

Trying to get my Mom & Bro to the next meeting up there....Any beeks in the Hingham area that you know of? Bro is in Pembroke, Mom is in Hingham, and now that they have played with my girls, both want to start bees in Spring. (I told them not to start late and then try to winter them!) Thanks!

Click on the link. We have an annual "Bee School" starting in January. That which is posted may be last year's schedule. The PCBA also imports thousands of packages for our club/student needs as well as other commitments.

I don't know how to "private message" somebody, but if you can figure it out, don't hesitate to contact me.